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Friday, 3 June 2016

1000 paper cranes | 1000

This is kind of a big deal. I mean, I presume it's not that big of a deal for you, because you're not heavily invested in my arts and crafts activities. BUT it's a big deal for me.

I'll be honest, there was a point when I did not think I would do The Thing. My Mum came to visit in April when I still had like 400 to fold. She made doubtful noises and tbh, I was kind of inclined to agree.

But I am stubborn, and I needed to prove to myself that I could keep going. If I want to write for a living, I better get damned used to sticking with solitary creation until I've folded 1000 birds or written 60,000 words or whatever. (I actually don't know what that whatever encompasses, but I like to keep my options open.). So the last month and a half have involved some pretty intense folding. Helped along by a plumbing disaster and a few colds that kept me in the house.

I think I lost momentum about halfway through because I stopped needing a miracle. You might know I've had pretty shoddy health for the past few years, but you probably don't know exactly how shoddy unless you are one of my very closest people (hi!). This is because it is a) boring and b) gross to talk about. Last year I went to see a nice dietitian and she put me on the FODMAP eating plan and it literally changed my life. Like, the way my average today unfolds is completely different from where I was at this point last year. My health still isn't perfect but it feels like somebody giving me the reins to my life back and it is freaking AWESOME.

So it kind of feels like I have been handed multiple miracles by SCIENCE and PROGRESS and FINDING STUFF OUT. Asking for more just feels kind of greedy. But proving to myself that I can stick at something isn't about getting an extra miracle. It's about making the most of the miracle I've been given. Also, they really are very pretty (although 600 paper cranes look just about as fab as 1000. Damn laws of diminishing returns).

2 comments:

Wow! Not only have you achieved something important on a personal level..proved to yourself you can do it, and all that that brings..but you have also created something really beautiful. Looking at all those cranes made me smile this morning. Thank you and well done Anna. x

About Me

I'm Anna.
I'm working on being an enigma. Progress so far is minimal.
If you would like to talk to me, you can get me on a.l.ibbotson@gmail.com or I'm on twitter @AnnaIbbotson.
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